The Black Brigade
The Black Brigade is a group of senior politicians and military strategists in the Parliament of Trillian, consistently led by the Palatine. Purpose "This, peasant, is the reason why no lord in this land who didn't deserve it has ever acquired power. These are the Black Brigade, a group of the most senior politicians in Trillian who have worked throughout the generations to defend Trillian, to hold back the petty ideals of the young and foolish! We are the backbone of Trillian, its unknowing political protectors, ensuring the true and proper distribution of power, and you shall need far more than orcs to push them away..." - Xarathustra Plantagenet The Black Brigade is ostensibly little more than a gentleman's club for the older families of Trillian, a semi-secretive society where the heads of these households could plot to ensure their own security in positions of power. Their formation took place in the early days of Trillian, when the king no longer needed to keep the lords happy in order to run the nation - without being in a state of war, individuals in Parliament had nothing to 'hold over the head of the King', as one historical document put it. The Brigade has been described as highly elitist and nepotistic, a favours-for-favours way of mutually assuring power for friends; however, they themselves proclaim ideals of being Trillian's political protectors. If the Parliament was considered to be a check-and-balance to the king, then the Black Brigade is the snakehead of that operation. Accordingly Coopers, as the Royal Family line, have traditionally never been accepted into the Black Brigade. With the Palatine at their head, the group writes the legislation to be proposed to Parliament and acts as a panel of senior judges (when the head provincial judges or the lord of the province themselves are not considered satisfactory or proportionate). Members The current members of the Black Brigade are as follows; *Palatine Xarathustra Plantagenet, Lord of Begoa and De-Facto Ruler of Trillian *Lord of Cassian *Lord of Cadence *Lord of Cheldaram *Lord of Darmen *Lord of Sinia *Lord of Kallst It is not necessary that the leader be the Palatine or even that the Palatine even be a member at all - their influence and monopolies over the other houses has simply assured this over the years (a fact many note as a 'coincidence too many'). Election to this group is done via proposal submitted by one of the members and then reviewed by the other six. A meeting is then held where the candidate may state the benefits of them joining the the Brigade and will be encouraged to debate their principles and ideals with the current members. After this, the members will confer and decide whether or not to welcome the candidate to the Brigade. There has only ever been seven members of the Black Brigade at once. Proposal for candidancy only occurs in the event of a member no longer being suitable or unabel to fulfill their duties (in the case of a death by natural causes, it is not uncommon for the next eldest member of their family to be immediately proposed as a replacement). Former members include; *Lord Heryn Tarnhelm IV, Lord of Paseras *Lord Calcus Plantagenet, Lord of Begoa